These creative poetry prompts are curated to inspire mystical, entrancing, and dark poems.
In this post, we explore poetry prompts that will walk us over to the sinister side, look at things from a villain's perspective and help us create art derived from the cacophony within our heads. With visual cues, a personal Pinterest board, and a moodboard, I hope this will be the perfect zone to inspire those evil words from you.
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1. Et Tu, Brute?
You must be familiar with this Latin phrase from William Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar. Although there is no historical evidence that Caesar spoke these words, we remember this pivotal moment when we think of betrayal. Write a Julius Caesar-themed poem that revolves around the agony of betrayal.
Some details you could consider are:
Who is the speaker in this poem? Is it Caesar or Brutus? Or is it you writing a poem inspired by events in your life?
If the speaker is being assassinated like Caesar was, what weapon is used? How many times is the speaker stabbed? These questions are an excellent place to include symbolism in your poem.
2. Lilith, The First Wife of Adam
Lilith is known to be the first wife of Adam. According to Jewish folklore, she has been banished from the Garden of Eden for not obeying him. Watch this video with stunning visuals to know more about the tale and write a poem inspired by it.
3. A Broken Promise
Write a poem about a broken promise. Get the speaker to justify the act in your poem. Do you want your reader to feel hatred for this speaker or sympathy? Answer these questions and write a poem with what you discover.
4. The Villain Triumphs
It's always the hero that wins in the end. We're always taught that good triumphs over evil. Write a poem praising the villain.
It could be the origin of a villain we're all familiar with—a redemption arc for the most vicious of them all, a justification of their evils. While everyone's a hero in their own stories, compose a poem looking at yourself as the villain in your life.
BONUS: Who is your favourite villain? Write a poem from their perspective. Tell their story, lament their downfall or praise their rise to evil.
5. We Cheat Death
Write a poem in which the speaker cheats Death. Think about how you want to portray Death in these poems. Is Death a fool your speaker can cheat? Or is Death a menacing adversary, your speaker, has to combat to get away from? Why is your speaker trying to cheat Death in the first place?
Refer to these Death Themed Poetry Prompts previously on The Poetry Cove Blog for further inspiration.
6. Ugly Devotion
Reinvent gods, reimagine blessings and reinstigate curses. For this poem, write an ugly prayer. Write about a conquest against Heaven, your reign of terror.
If you write any poems inspired by these prompts, share them in the Poetry Cove Forum for other poets to read or for feedback. You can even consider submitting it to the Magazine or the Radio. Happy creating!
